Method and system for gathering, organizing, and displaying information from data searches

Abstract

A search engine that organizes the search results into clusters of files having logical relationship. Clusters are determined according to select phrases found in the files hosted on servers in a computer network. The select phrases are determined by the search engine or the user or a combination of the two. The clusters assist the user in tailoring its search for files.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A search engine for searching files on a network of servers, comprising: 
 a. a phrase extraction module for determining select phrases that are contained in a selection of files and mapping phrases with the files and the servers hosting the files; and    b. a visualization tool for presenting a graphical representation of the mapping of said phrases, files, and servers.    
     
     
         2 . A search engine for searching files on a network of servers according to a query from a user, comprising: 
 a. a phrase extraction module for determining select phrases that are contained in a plurality of files satisfying the query, and grouping the servers that host the plurality of files in accordance with the selected phrases; and    b. a visualization tool for displaying to the user, a graphical representation of the grouping of said phrases and servers.    
     
     
         3 . A method for searching for files on a network according to a query from a user, comprising the steps of: 
 a. selecting files in accordance with the query;    b. determining one or more phrases contained in the selected files;    c. grouping the selected files in accordance with the determined phrases; and    d. displaying a graphical representation of the grouping to the user.    
     
     
         4 . A method for searching for files on a network of servers according to a query from a user, comprising the steps of: 
 a. selecting files in accordance with the query;    b. determining one or more phrases contained in the selected files;    c. grouping the selected files in accordance with the determined phrases and in accordance with the servers hosting the selected files; and    d. displaying a graphical representation of the grouping to the user.    
     
     
         5 . A method for analyzing search results for a user comprising the steps of: 
 a. receiving search results from a search engine;    b. determining phrases based on files referenced by the search results;    c. determining servers hosting the files referenced by the search results;    d. generating a map associating said phrases with said servers wherein a phrase is associated with a server if the phrase occurs in a file referenced by the search results located on the server;    e. identifying one or more server clusters in accordance with the map; and    f. displaying the server clusters to the user.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the steps of: 
 a. receiving from the user a selection of one or more clusters;    b. removing said selected clusters from the display; and    c. adjusting the display of the unselected clusters.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the steps of: 
 a. receiving from the user a selection of clusters;    b. revising the map associating additional phrases with the servers in the selected clusters; and    c. displaying the selected clusters to the use in accordance with the revised map.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the steps of: 
 a. receiving from the user a selection of clusters;    b. revising the search results in accordance with the selected clusters;    c. adjusting the map in accordance with the revised search results; and    d. displaying the server clusters to the user in accordance with the adjusted map.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the steps of: 
 a. receiving from the user a selection of clusters;    b. receiving from the user a search query;    c. refining the search results according to the search query and the selection of clusters;    d. updating the map in accordance with the refined search results; and    e. adjusting the display of the clusters in accordance with the updated map.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the steps of: 
 a. receiving from the user revised phrases;    b. revising the map associating the revised phrases with the servers associated with files referenced in the search results; and    c. displaying the server clusters to the user in accordance with the revised map.    
     
     
         11 . A method for revising search results generated by a search engine, comprising the steps of: 
 a. analyzing data associated with the search results;    b. generating a list of phrases based on the analyzed data;    c. identifying files referenced by the search results containing a phrase from the list of phrases; and    d. associating the files with phrases.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of: 
 a. determining the frequency of use of each phrase in each file; and    b. including the phrase in the list of phrases if the frequency for the phrase exceeds a threshold value.    
     
     
         13 . A method for refining search results in the form of a mapping between files, phrases and servers, for a user comprising the steps of: 
 a. receiving from the user a selection of a server;    b. importing one or more phrases contained in the files hosted on the selected server; and    c. displaying the imported phrases in a graphical representation of the mapping between files, phrase, and servers.    
     
     
         14 . A method for analyzing search results for locating files on a network, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a. extracting phrases from the search results, wherein the phrases represent the subject matter contained in the files associated with the search results;    b. grouping the files into one or more clusters wherein each cluster contains two or more files such that each pair of files are associated with at least one phrase in common; and    c. generating a map of the grouping of files and phrases.    
     
     
         15 . A method for searching files on a network of servers according to a query from a user, comprising the steps of: 
 a. determining select phrases that are contained in the one or more files satisfying the query from the user;    b. grouping the servers that host the one or more files in accordance with the selected phrases;    c. displaying to the user, a graphical representation of the grouping of said phrases and said servers;    d. receiving from the user, a selection of one or more groups;    e. generating a revised query according to the selection of one or more groups;    f. determining one or more files that satisfy the revised query; and    g. displaying to the user, a graphical representation of the one or more determined files.    
     
     
         16 . A method for searching files on a network of servers according to a query from a user, comprising the steps of: 
 a. determining select phrases that are contained in the one or more files satisfying the query from the user;    b. grouping the one or more servers that host the one or more files in accordance with the select phrases;    c. displaying to the user, a graphical representation of the grouping of said phrases, said servers, and said files;    d. receiving from the user, a selection of one or more files displayed in the graphical representation;    e. downloading the selected files; and    f. generating links between the downloaded files according to the select phrases.